Ahmad Daqamseh murdered seven Israeli girls at the Island of Peace site in Naharayim in 1997. The terrorist was released by Jordan after having served a 20-year sentence.

Roi Kais|Published: 12.03.17 , 07:58

Ahmad Daqamseh, who murdered seven Israeli girls in a massacre at the Island of Peace border post in Naharayim in 1997, was released from Jordanian prison early Sunday after having served a 20-year sentence.

On March 13, 1997, Daqamseh—who at the time was a 26-year-old soldier in the Jordanian army—opened fire at a group of 7th and 8th grade schoolgirls the AMIT Fuerst School in Beit Shemesh, who were on a class field trip.

A Jordanian court later deemed Daqamseh mentally unstable and sentenced him to life in prison, rather than imposing the death penalty.

The shooting came three years after Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty. The two countries cooperate closely on security matters, including in the battle against Islamic extremism, but the peace treaty remains widely unpopular in Jordan where many residents have Palestinian roots.

Recently, Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad Al Momani confirmed that Daqamseh will be released when he is done serving his sentence. Monday will mark exactly 20 years since the mass murder.

Daqamseh arrived before dawn Sunday in his home village of Ibdir in northern Jordan. Amateur video posted online showed him being surrounded by singing and dancing men, some kissing him on the cheek.

There was no immediate Israeli government reaction Sunday. In 2011, Israel had summoned Jordan's ambassador to express anger after the kingdom's then-justice minister called for Daqamseh's early release.

Celebrations in Irbid

Yisrael Fatihi, whose daughter Sivan had been killed in the attack, told Israel Radio on Sunday that he had been informed by the Israeli embassy in Jordan last week that Daqamseh's release was imminent.

"It is unfortunate, but this is the situation," Fatihi said.

King Hussein, Jordan's ruler in 1997, paid a rare visit to Israel to express his condolences to the girls' parents.

King Hussein in rare visit to Israel in 1997 to express his condolences to the girls' parents (Photo: Eyal Fisher)

Fatihi recalled Hussein's condolence visit, saying he and his family had been sitting on the floor in mourning at the time and that the monarch knelt down next to them. "We told him we really appreciated his visit," Fatihi said.